Tobacco stringing lath holder



Jan. 2, 1934. E, WILKENSON TOBACCO STRINGING LATH HOLDER Filed May 14,1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l g] Yvu 244$ 01/ .ZZWzZ/ierzaarz Jan. 2, 1934. E.WILKENSON TOBACCO STRINGING LATH HOLDER Filed May 14, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 7Claims.

This invention relates to a device designed for use in holding tobaccostringing laths, the primary object of the invention being to provide ameans for holding the lath against movement while the tobacco leaves arebeing strung thereon.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter including lateral guiding arms engaging the tobacco lath at apoint-adjacent to the pointed end thereof, thereby preventing lateralmovement of the lath.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock actuated by themovement of the guarding arms, for locking the lath against movement oraccidental displacement during the stringing operation.

-With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a device constructed inaccordance with the invention, the pivoted lateral bracing arms of thedevice being shown in dotted lines in their inactive positions.

Fgure 2 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5designates a tobacco stringing lath support which is formed with anopening disposed in the forward end thereof, which opening is of a widthto receive one end of the lath, as clearly shown by Figure 5 of thedrawings, the lath being indicated by the reference character 6.

The reference character 7 designates a metallic support constructed toclosely fit over the outer or free end of the support 5, the metallicsupport embodying side plates 7, that extend to the free end of thesupport 5.

Pivotally mounted on the metallic support, are the lateral arms 8, whichare curved outwardly as at 9, to provide a clearance for the tobaccoleaves that are being strung on the lath 6, held in the support.

As shown by Figure 2 of the drawings, the outer ends of the arms curveinwardly at 10, where they lie in spaced relation with each other, andgrip the pointed end of the lath 6 therebetween. The extremities of thearms curve slightly outward at 11, to guide the tobacco leaves to thelath 6.

Thus it will be seen that due to this construc- 6 tion, the lath isbraced at its inner and outer ends in such a manner that the lath isheld firmly against movement. 7

The arms 8 are constructed of metal which will yield laterally andpermit of the stringing of the tobacco leaves on the lath.

The arms 8 are connected at their inner ends by means of the plate 12,which has downwardly extended portions 13 that rest against the sides ofthe metallic support, the intermediate portion 7 thereof, engaging theupper surface of the support 5, to restrict downward movement of thearms 8 to the end that the arms 8 will beheld in the proper position togrip the lath.

Extending upwardly from the central portion 7 of the plate 12, is an arm14 that carries a laterally extended plate 15, formed with an openingthrough which the rod 16 extends, there being provided a cotter key 17on the free end of the rod, to engage the plate 15 and restrict movementof the rod 16.

Mounted on the rod 16 is a coiled spring 18 that has one end thereofengaging the plate 15, the opposite end of the coiled spring engagingthe pin 19 that extends through the rod 16. This rod 16 has pivotalconnection with the locking arm 20 that is pivotally supported betweenthe plates 21, that are fitted in the opening formed in the free end ofthe support 5.

The construction of the locking arm 20 and the length of the rod 16, aresuch that when the arms 8 are moved to their active positions, from aposition as shown in dotted lines of Figure 1 of the drawings, thelocking arm 20 moves to a position as shown by Figure 5 of the drawings,where it grips the lath 6 and holds the inner end of the lath againstmovement.

It is obvious that when the arms 8 move to their inactive positions, thelocking arm 20 swings rearwardly disengaging the lath, permitting of itsready removal.

In order that the arms 8 will be held in their inactive positions, clearof the lath, a pivoted locking arm 22 is provided, which is connectedwith the plates 21. A notch 23 is formed in the lock- 1'05 ing arm, andreceives one edge of the plate 12, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1,preventing downward movement of the arms 8, until the pivoted lockingarm has been manually raised to disengage the plate 12.

In the use of the device, a tobacco leaf stringing lath is positionedwithin the opening at one end of the support 5, whereupon the arms 8 areswung downwardly in parallel relation with the lath 6 held in thesupport.

With the lath in this position, the tobacco leaves may be readilypositioned over the pointed end of the lath, until the desired number ofleaves have been strung.

The arms 8 are now swung upwardly to a position as shown in dotted linesin Figure 1 of the drawings, leaving the lath free to be removed withthe tobacco leaves supported thereon.

Another lath to be strung is now positioned within the opening in thefree end of the support 5, and the stringing operation repeated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A tobacco stringing lath holder comprising a support having anopening to receive one end of a lath, a pivoted locking arm mounted onthe support and adapted to engage the lath mounted inthe support to holdthe lath against movement, pivoted arms mounted on the support andengaging the outer end of the lath holding the outer end of the lathagainst movement, and means for locking the pivoted arms in theirinactive positions.

2. ,A tobacco stringing lath holder comprising asupport having anopening to receive a lath, pivoted arms mounted on the support andcontacting with the lath at the free end thereof, and a locking membermounted on the support and engaging the lath held in the support, andmeans operated by the pivoted arms for operating the locking member.

3. A tobacco stringing lath holder comprising a support having anopening in one end thereof for the reception of a tobacco stringinglath, pivoted arms mounted on the support and engaging the lath at thefree end of the lath, a pivoted locking member mounted on the support,

and means for transmitting movement of the arms to the locking member,to operate the locking member simultaneously with the movement of thearms to lock the lath to the support.

4. A tobacco stringing lath holder comprising a support having anopening to receive a lath, a pair of pivoted arms mounted on the supportand adapted to move into parallel relation with the lath engaging thelath at the free end thereof, a locking member, means fortransmitting'movement of the pivoted arms to the locking member, movingthe locking member into engagement with the lath.

5. A tobacco stringing lath holder comprising a support having anopening to receive a lath, a pair of pivoted arms mounted on thesupport, a plate connecting the arms and adapted to engage the supportto restrict downward movement of the arms, said arms engaging the freeend of a lath positioned in the support to hold the lath against lateralmovement, and means connected to the arms for locking the lath withinthe support.

6. A tobacco stringing lath holder 'cqmtrstig a support having anopening to receive a lath, a pivoted locking member on thesupport andadapted to engage a lath positioned within the support to lock the lathagainst movemenha pair of arms pivotally mountedon the support, andengaging the lath at the outer end thereof, and means controlled by the,operation orv the pivoted arms for operating the pivoted locking member.7 v g 7. A tobacco stringing lath holder comprising a support, saidsupport having an opening to receive one end of alath, a pair of pivotedarms mounted on the support and engagingthe lath held in the support, atthe free endof the lath, and. means controlled by the arms for locking alath within'the opening of the support.

EMIL W ILKENSON

